Toothbrush

Abstract

A toothbrush having a bristle supporting head pivotally mounted to a handle for pivotal movement of the head and bristles about a pivot axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the handle to a plurality of positions to gain easy access to tooth surfaces at opposite sides of the mouth, the bristles extending in a direction mutually perpendicular to the axis of the handle and pivot axis, and the handle having an enlarged hollow end for storage therein of a bristle supporting head or the like and for supporting the toothbrush in an upright, free standing position. A spring biased detent is engaged with the pivot shaft of the bristle supporting head to retain it assembled to the handle and to maintain it in a predetermined adjusted pivoted position. An actuator projects beyond the end of the handle for engagement with the finger to release the bristle supporting head.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A toothbrush comprising: an elongate handle means having opposite end portions, one of said end portions comprising a hollow, diametrically enlarged base capable of supporting the toothbrush in an upright position and of a size to receive and store a bristle head therein;   the other end of the handle means comprising an elongate, reduced diameter shaft having an axial bore in the end thereof;   a tubular member fixed to the end of said shaft and having a pair of diametrically aligned openings in the side thereof;   a bristle head adjustably carried by the handle means at said other end thereof and including a bristle head shaft projecting therefrom, said bristle head shaft extending at approximately a right angle to the axis of the handle means and releasably adjustably engaged with the handle means to support the bristle head in adjusted positions on the handle means, and bristles on the bristle head extending in a direction mutually perpendicular to the axis of the handle means and the axis of the bristle head shaft;   said bristle head shaft extending through the aligned openings in the tubular member having a polygonal cross sectional configuration; and   bristle head retaining means carried in the tubular member for selective engagement with the bristle head shaft to prevent it from rotating and to retain it on the handle means, said retaining means having a channel shaped and sized complementally to the bristle head shaft and being actuatable through the end of the handle means for releasing the bristle head.   
     
     
       2. A toothbrush as in claim 1, wherein the channel in the retaining means closely engages the side of the bristle head shaft to prevent rotation of the bristle head shaft; and the bristle head shaft has an enlarged head on one end thereof which engages against the side of the retaining means at one end of the channel to prevent withdrawal of the bristle head from the handle means.   
     
     
       3. A toothbrush as in claim 2, wherein the retaining means has a guide shaft thereon received in the axial bore in the end of the elongate handle means shaft for guiding movement of the retaining means during use. 
     
     
       4. A toothbrush as in claim 3, wherein spring means is engaged between the retaining means and the elongate handle means shaft for normally urging the retaining means into engagement with the bristle head shaft to retain the bristle head in position. 
     
     
       5. A toothbrush as in claim 4, wherein a separate actuator for the retaining means is disposed in the tubular member outwardly of the retaining means relative to the handle means; the tubular means has an axial opening in the end thereof; and     the actuator means has an actuating pin thereon extended through the axial opening in the tubular member for engagement with the finger to depress the actuator means and retaining means against the spring means to release the bristle head.   
     
     
       6. A toothbrush as in claim 1, wherein a removable cap is releasably secured on the diametrically enlarged base of the handle means; and said cap has internal dimensions such as to closely receive and confine a bristle head disposed therein for retaining the bristle head to prevent its accidental displacement from the cap and to maintain the shape of the bristles.   
     
     
       7. A toothbrush as in claim 5, wherein the shaft on the retaining means and the axial bore in the end of the handle means shaft are sized such as to limit movement of the actuator means and retaining means toward the handle means so that the actuator means and retaining means cannot be depressed beyond a position for free release of the bristle head. 
     
     
       8. A toothbrush as in claim 1, wherein a one-piece actuator means and retaining means are disposed in the tubular member for selective operation to retain the bristle head in position or release the bristle head when desired.